Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Weekly Election Coverage Newsletter, July 30-Aug 5

“I've worked closely with him, and I know that one of his lasting legacies will be how makes its first democratic, peaceful transfer of power.” Kerry wrote Afghans took an enormous step on the road toward a stronger democracy in April and June when millions of people went to the polls to choose the country’s next president. “Every vote was a courageous endorsement of democracy, and an expression of hope for the future.”

Kerry rules out parliamentary system in Afghanistan The United States, the and the international By Javed Hamim Kakar Jul 30, 2014 - 22:26 community were engaged in the post-election process solely to help the Afghan election institutions restore (Pajhwok): US Secretary of State John Kerry has credibility to the voting, he said. said it was not for outsiders to describe the contents of the “Experts tell me that the audit under way in Kabul is the political framework both Afghan presidential candidates largest and most complicated election audit ever accepted a few days ago. undertaken anywhere. Few countries could meet this “It does not violate the Afghan constitution – it respects challenge alone.” Afghan institutions. It does not establish a parliamentary He continued specialists from the UN were working side system – it creates a new position of chief executive who by side with their Afghan colleagues to ensure that the will report to the president until the president convenes a audit met the laws of Afghanistan, the highest international Loya Jirga to determine whether a permanent change is in standards and, most importantly, the expectations of the best interests of the country,” Kerry wrote in his latest Afghans. op-ed, a copy of which is sent to Pajhwok Afghan News “The process, which has been painstaking and slow, will by the US Embassy in Kabul. accelerate with the end of Eid al-Fitr. But democracy can’t Kerry, who landed in New Delhi on Wednesday for talks be rushed and every legitimate vote deserves to be counted with Indian officials on strategic relations, wrote: “What and respected.” the agreement does provide is a critical opportunity for He said the Afghan Independent Election Commission, the both candidates to move beyond political competition to UN and dozens of international observers were working real statesmanship. It is a chance for them to work together night and day to conclude the audit. to build an inclusive government that represents all sectors of Afghan society – Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras, “The audit is only one part of the challenge confronting men and women.” democracy in Afghanistan today. Equally important are He said democracy was an evolutionary process and every the actions of the two candidates, Dr. and democracy reached a decisive moment where the interests Dr. , and their political teams.” of the country outweighed the interests of politicians. “Afghanistan is at that critical point today. Its leaders On July 12, he recalled, the two candidates shook hands cannot afford to miss the chance to help bring their people and agreed to respect the results of the audit. They also the better lives they deserve and demand. And that is a agreed to build a unity government that will lead A challenge for two statesmen who both love Afghanistan.” fghanistan to a better future. “Again and again, through all my visits to your country, I've been struck by one profound fact: Afghans want and He said the political agreement responded to a challenging deserve a better future. You want to live without fear, to situation that required cooperation between the two leaders have the best possible education for your children, health and their broad range of supporters. care systems that provide dignity and the jobs and other opportunities that come with a stable economy.” http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/07/30/kerry-rules-out- He praised President for leading Afghani- parliamentary-system-afghanistan stan for more than a decade through triumph and tragedy.

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He said the two sides had clearly agreed that the losing candidate would be given the position of chief executive. He said they were trying to make public and release to the media the text of the agreement. Rahimi said US president Barack Obama had twice phoned both the candidates, urging them to sign the agreement as soon as possible. He said the real and basic aim of Kerry’s column was to assuage people’s concerns about a parliamentary system. “In his article, Kerry has actually explained about the parliamentary system and has no details about the chief executive slot.” Meanwhile, a member of Ghani’s Change and Continuity team, Tahir Zaheer, said both the sides had agreed that the 'No deal struck on parliamentary system' losing candidate would be given the chief executive By Sangar yar Jul 31, 2014 - 14:54 position after the end of the vote audit process. KABUL (Pajhwok): Campaign teams of both the He said the president-elect would have the authority to presidential candidates on Thursday confirmed US remove the chief executive and introduce his replacement to secretary of state John Kerry’s remarks that no deal on the parliament. switching to a parliamentary system had been reached. He said both the candidates had agreed that they would In his latest op-ed, Kerry wrote the political framework accept the outcome of the ongoing audit of all votes and the both Afghan presidential candidates accepted a few days final results and that the winner would pave the ground for ago “does not violate the Afghan constitution – it respects the formation of a national unity government and the Afghan institutions.” creation of the chief executive post. “It does not establish a parliamentary system – it creates a He told Pajhwok Afghan News the standard in the unity new position of chief executive who will report to the government would be only potential and ability. He said president until the president convenes a Loya Jirga to though the Change and Continuity team had verbally determine whether a permanent change is in the best endorsed the agreement with the Reform and Unanimity interests of the country,” Kerry said. team but was committed to it. The campaign teams of both the presidential hopefuls said IEC to restart auditing votes on Saturday the two sides had agreed that the winner would offer the By Navid Ahmad Jul 31, 2014 - 15:37 loser the position of chief executive. Presidential runners Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission Ahmadzai had agreed to form a unity government after on Thursday said it was resuming the vote audit process on Kerry mediated between them following Abdullah’s Saturday and would not unnecessarily halt it this time boycott of the electoral process on account of widespread around. fraud allegations in the June 14 runoff race. The vote audit process was suspended for Eid holidays. IEC The deal on a unity government was reached about 18 chief Ahmad Yousaf Nuristan had earlier said that they days ago but neither side has so far revealed the contents would restart auditing votes only when the two presidential of the political framework to the masses. candidates arrived at an agreement on a 16-point checklist Abdullah’s camp said under the agreement, the chief regarding rejection or approval of votes. executive post would be given to the losing candidate or IEC Deputy Chief Abdul Rehman Hotaki told Pajhwok his nominee and the position will be changed into a prime Afghan News on Thursday that they had approved a ministerial slot through amendment in the Constitution proposal from the United Nations Assistance Mission in within two years. Afghanistan containing views of both the candidates. But Ahmadzai’s team had denied such a deal, saying they The audit process had to be stopped and resumed several had promised giving the chief executive position to times owning to differences between representatives of the Ahmad Shah Massoud when he joined Ahmadzai presidential candidates and the absence of observers. Hotaki campaign during the electioneering. said the IEC would not let the process to be hindered again A spokesman for Abdullah, Mujib Rahimi, said Kerry was this time. Tahir Zaheer, a spokesman for Ashraf Ghani, told right no deal on a parliamentary system had been reached Pajhwok Afghan News they had no problem with the UNA- between the two sides. MA proposal.

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Mujib Rahimi, a spokesman for trailing candidate The IEC chief said 100 auditors would work for eight hours Abdullah Abdullah, however, said they would press for in the morning and another 100 in the second shift to some of their demands to be incorporated into the audit speed-up the process. He said, if needed, the number of criteria. auditing teams could be increased to 120 a shift. Rahimi stressed transparency and the inclusion of their Speaking on the occasion, UNAMA chief Jan Kubis demands in the UNAMA proposal as crucial. stressed any further delay in concluding the election While Zaheer alleged Abdullah’s supporters were looking process could damage the political and economical for excuses to escape from the audit process. environment. The audit of all votes cast in the June 14 runoff election He said the UN and international observers would work in began 15 days ago but so far only about 1500 ballot boxes close cooperation with the IEC, the candidates and the out of more than 20, 000 could be assessed. Afghan civil society to ensure fair results. At the beginning, the IEC announced it would audit at However, Abdullah Abdullah’s campaign team said it was least 1000 ballot boxes a day by involving 100 auditing not satisfied with the new criteria. Mujibur Rehman teams comprised of IEC staff, national and international Rahimi, a representative of Abdullah’s camp, said the latest observers and representatives of both the candidates. procedure had been designed in haste and could not The process was set to be completed in three to four weeks properly detect fraud. but its current pace shows it will take longer than earlier Ashraf Ghani’s team, meanwhile, said that although some expected. of their recommendations had not been entertained, still they agreed to the new procedure. Tahir Zaheer, a representative of Ghani’s team, said deliberately delaying the election process further would be a treacherous act against the nation.

IEC announces new criteria for vote audit By Naveed Ahmad Barakzai Jul 31, 2014 - 18:47 KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Thursday said both the presidential candidates had agreed on new criteria proposed by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan Kerry pressures candidates for unity govt: Analysts (UNAMA), allowing the vote audit to resume on By Sangar yar Jul 31, 2014 - 21:27 Saturday. KABUL (Pajhwok): Some political commentators call US At a joint press conference with UNAMA head Jan Kubis, Secretary of State John Kerry’s latest comments a kind of IEC chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani said the sides had pressure on presidential candidates to form a unity agreed on a 24-point checklist for the invalidation of government, but others support him for his efforts to end fraudulent votes. the political deadlock. “The candidates are bound to accept the 11 rules of the election commission, the UNAMA has suggested five Kerry in an op-ed published online Wednesday appealed to more points of international standards in the checklist and both candidates to translate the broad power-sharing eight more has been added to the procedure at the request agreement they reached with him early this month into a of the candidates. Now both the candidates are bound to working relationship they can carry into a new government, obey these principles”, he said, wishing no more halt to “whoever wins.” the audit process. Nuristani urged both the presidential candidates, Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, “The time for politics is over. The time for cooperation is at members of their campaign teams and other stakeholders hand,” he wrote. “There is no time to waste.” to cooperate with the IEC in finishing the process.

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Some analysts believe if the next government is formed trips to implement the agreement Kerry brokered between under foreign pressure, it will have little effectiveness and the two candidates. a symbolic significance. He said the two candidates had only agreed to the formula Political expert Javed Kohistani said Kerry should have of a national unity government in the presence of Kerry but asked the two candidates to reveal the contents of the failed to reach a real agreement. political deal he brokered between them instead of doing it Rifat said Kerry’s article had nothing negative about the himself. elections in Afghanistan. He said Afghanistan needed assis- He believed Kerry’s article was a kind of pressure he tance from its allies because its institutions were not strong exerted on the two candidates to form a unity government. enough. Kohistani rejected the claim that the creation of the chief “For its bitter realties, Afghanistan needs positive regional executive position did not violate the country’s and international interferences. The US, a real supporter of constitution and called the proposed national unity Afghanistan in areas of politics, military and economy, will government a big mistake because it would have only a definitely get worried if the political process here goes symbolic significance. wrong.” He said in the unity government, both the sides would not cooperate with each other in running the government’s affairs and differences would emerge on power-sharing and as a result, powerful individuals and law violators would rule untouched. The expert criticised the presence and intervention of foreigners in very decision, saying their role should be only to advise. Kohistani said such articles and comments resulted from the weakness of the electoral teams and if the national unity government was formed under foreign pressure, it would eventually plunge into anarchy. But another political expert Bashir Bizhon held a different view. He said Kerry’s article could play a positive role in doing away with the political impasse and should be appreciated. He told Pajhwok Afghan News Afghanistan had not yet Election result would be known by August 25: Faizi reached the stage, where it alone could take all the affairs By Javed Hamim Kakar Aug 1, 2014 - 12:12 forward. KABUL (Pajhwok): Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi However, he said the US wanted an end to the political has said the audit and result of the second round of crisis in Afghanistan because it could threaten its strategic presidential election would be known by August 25. goals in the country and the region. "There will be no extension because Afghanistan is He believed if the US failed to prevent the political crisis suffering," he told Reuters news agency in a report in Afghanistan from deepening, “it could face the super published on Friday. The report said Western power with defeat and even breakup.” feared the UN-monitored audit of the June election could Bizhon said it would be better for the US and the take months to complete, given the snail's pace of progress international community to remain cooperative until the so far. It is becoming an increasingly pressing and awkward vote audit was completed and the power peacefully question for NATO, seeking to withdraw most of its troops, transferred. as who, if anyone, will represent Afghanistan at next He warned if the prevailing situation was left unchanged, month's NATO summit. The news agency quoted some the incumbent government and the “real player” would diplomats as saying that President Karzai could be invited, brush aside the two candidates and prolong the rule. or pick who represents the country, at Celtic Manor in Kabul University teacher Ahmad Zia Rifat said that as a Wales on Sept. 4-5, but the prospect of Karzai's strategic partner and keeping in view its own interests, the participation raises technical problems – the constitution US wanted the fate of the electoral process in Afghanistan deems his term is already complete. It also risks upsetting to be decided soon. the United States, with whom Karzai has had a fraught In order to reach that goal, he said, it was natural the US relationship, and complicating the signing of two would make all-out efforts from writing articles to media agreements that would allow the United States and NATO pressure and diplomatic to keep some soldiers in Afghanistan . http://www.pajhwok.com Page 4 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com

Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter for training and counter-insurgency operations. Without the pacts, which both presidential candidates have said they would sign but Karzai rejects, all foreign troops must leave by the end of the year, just as the Taliban insurgency ups attacks on civilian and military targets "They (NATO) don't want him (Karzai) to spoil the party," said one , who asked not to be identified. "We really hope that the election is wrapped up by then (the NATO summit) ... it will be a huge concern for us and the international community if this drags on," said Tahir Zaheer, a spokesman for Ghani. "It is for the next president to participate, but if we are invited and the election result is still unclear, we will not go because it will be embarrassing." Abdullah favours sending both candidates, or their envoys, to represent Afghanistan at the summit. "Karzai hasn't signed the BSA or the SOFA, plus the election's fate is in the air, so there is no point in him US welcomes vote audit resumption going. This is a matter of the country's future," said By Lalit J Kha Aug 1, 2014 - 18:16 Mahmoud Saikal, a top aide to Abdullah. Both Abdullah and Ghani say they will sign the bilateral WASHINGTON (PAN): The United States on Thursday security agreement (BSA) and the Status of Forces welcomed the announcement that the vote audit process Agreement (SOFA) to allow some US and NATO forces would be resumed on Saturday, saying the immense to stay in Afghanistan beyond an end-of-year deadline for undertaking required hard work and commitment from foreign troops to leave. "It is crucial that the next Afghan many people involved. president signs the required security agreements for our "We welcome today's (Thursday) announcement by the post-2014 presence without delay," a NATO official in Afghan Independent Election Commission and the United Brussels said. "Time is of the essence, and as the secretary Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan that the IEC has -general has made clear, without legal agreements there adopted the recount and invalidation criteria proposed by can be no NATO-led training mission after 2014." the UN and based on Afghan law and international best Saturday's swearing-in ceremony was to have marked the practices," State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Marie first democratic transition of power in the country's Harf told reporters at her daily news conference. history. The inauguration had been scheduled five weeks she said the adoption of the invalidation criteria and other before the NATO summit, efforts the IEC was making to improve the audit process an occasion where member states were due to trumpet the would the audit move forward more quickly and efficiently. Western alliance's achievements in Afghanistan 13 years Harf said and urged both candidates to instruct their teams after the Taliban were driven from power. to participate fully and constructively in the audit when it A few weeks after the NATO summit, the new Afghan resumed on Saturday. leader had also been due to take his position on the international stage in New York at a sitting of the United PC candidate killed in Ghor Nations General Assembly. By Hassan Hakimi Aug 2, 2014 - 15:42 The Karzai administration said a new leader would be FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): A provincial council candidate sworn in by the end of August. was shot dead along with his son by unidentified gunmen in The NATO official said no decision had yet been taken on the Pasaband district of western Ghor province, an official who would be on the invitation list to the summit. said on Saturday. Mohammad Kohi and his son were shot "It is essential to let the audit process run its course and it dead in the Sangan locality, the governor’s spokesman, Ab- is therefore premature at this stage to take any decision dul Hai Khatibi told Pajhwok Afghan News. He siad Kohi with regard to individual invitations to the summit." was in the race for provincial council seat in Ghor. Khatibi blamed the Taliban for being behind the murder case, add- Western diplomats in Kabul say one option would be to ing the victim and his were first detained and then killed by send one of either the foreign, defence or interior ministers the rebels. A villager, Mohammad Masum said Kohi was to attend both the NATO summit and UN General serving as an influential figure who always worked for Assembly. peace and stability in the area.

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restart the recount on Saturday after its employees were trained and Afghan and foreign observers showed up. “Dr. Abdullah has called for clarity in the UN-proposed criteria for invalidation of suspected ballots. As a result, we called on the IEC to delay the process until tomorrow and we hope it will resume after talks with Abdullah,” he said. Launched on July, 17, the auditing process had been suspended thrice so far due to differences between both the candidates.

Anger grows among Afghans over audit delays

KABUL (Pajhwok): People in various parts of the country interviewed by Pajhwok Afghan News on Saturday said the IEC vows to bypass Abdullah in vote recount prolonged electoral process amounted to playing with the By Muhammad Hassan Khetab Aug 2, 2014 - 17:45 fate of the nation, urging an early conclusion to the vote KABUL (Pajhwok): Independent Election Commission audit process. (IEC) chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani on Saturday vowed The presidential election runoff sparked fraud allegations they would go ahead with the recounting of votes cast in right from the beginning as the Reforms and Unanimity the June election tomorrow (Sunday) whether or not team led by Abdullah Abdullah suspended cooperation with presidential candidate Abdullah joins the start-stop the electoral bodies and accused Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai’s process. team of engineering “industrial scale fraud”. Talking to journalists at the IEC headquarters, Nuristani However, later Abdullah and his rival Ghani agreed to the said the commission employees, national and international inspection of all 8.1 million ballots cast in the June 14 poll observers had been hoping the vote audit would resume on in a deal brokered by US Secretary of State John Kerry. Saturday. But the recount has since faced several suspensions as the But they agreed to a day-long halt to the process at candidates sparred over how to disqualify ballots. UNAMA request in the larger national interest in order to Shafiqullah, a resident of the central capital Kabul, said the allow more time for Abdullah and the UN to conclude ongoing problems in the election process pushed the their negotiations over the criteria for invalidation of country into major security and economic problems. suspected votes. He asked Abdullah and Ghani to respect the UN-proposed The recount of votes was suspended again despite being criteria for invalidation of suspected ballots. scheduled to restart on Saturday after the Eid holidays. “Delays in the vote audit on various pretexts means playing The breakdown followed late night phone talks between with the fate of the nation and dishonouring the people who US Secretary of State John Kerry and candidates went to the polls,” he remarked. Abdullah and his rival candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. Javed Alokozai in Laghman province said people were fed A spokesman for Abdullah said that the UN had not taken up with the frequent postponements of the vote audit pro- his concerns into account. cess. “I do not want to hear their names. I have negative Kerry's intervention last month in three days of talks in thoughts about both the runners because they only know Kabul led to agreement between the two candidates to car- how to grab power instead of working to promote national ry out a full audit of votes. interests,” said Kawsar Nilofar, a resident of Panjshir However, the two candidates have entered a new dispute province. The ongoing situation and excuses by the over how to deal with ballot boxes found to contain inva- candidates showed the process would last several more lid votes. Nuristani said they would accept no more de- months, she feared. Compromises and activities of the lays in the auditing process, which had been scheduled to candidates had internationally damaged the image of restart at 7:00am on Saturday. “Even if Abdullah’s camp Afghanistan, said Ahmad Siar Kakar from does not participate, we will go ahead with the audit in province. “Despite economic and security troubles, the presence of representatives of the Change and Continuity elections have divided Afghans into several groups,” he team led by Ghani, national and international observers said. Nazrudin Muslih, a resident of Kabul, said the tomorrow,” the IEC chief insisted. presidential hopefuls gave more importance to personal Meanwhile, UN Secretary General’s special representative interests than the national ones. http://www.pajhwok.com/ for Afghanistan Jan Kubis said the IEC was all set to en/2014/08/02/anger-grows-among-afghans-over-audit- delays http://www.pajhwok.com Page 6 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com

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KABUL (Pajhwok): In a new setback to the election process, the vote audit was suspended till Sunday noon just moments later it had been resumed, an official said, despite the top election official’s warning to go ahead with the vote recount with or without participation of one of the two finalists. A day earlier, Independent Election Commission chief Ahmad Yusuf Nuristan said they agreed to a day-long halt to the audit process at UNAMA request to allow for more time to Abdullah and the UN to conclude their negotiations over the criteria for invalidation of suspected votes. Nuristani vowed they would go ahead with the recounting of votes on Sunday whether or not presidential candidate Abdullah joins the start-stop process. An IEC official on condition of anonymity said the vote audit was again halted until 12:00pm moments after the US delegates meet IEC officials process resumed. By Pajhwok Report Aug 2, 2014 - 19:35 He said representatives of the Reforms and Unanimity team led by presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah had as- KABUL (Pajhwok): A high-level US delegation led sured joining the process before the end of the given dead- President Barack Obama’s special representative for line. Afghanistan and Pakistan Dan Feldman held talks with UN officials had announced confidently that the inspection senior Afghan election officials on Saturday. would begin immediately after three weeks of disputes and The delegation comprising deputy to delays. On Saturday, hundreds of international monitors Afghanistan Michael McKinley, deputy assistant secretary arrived in Kabul to monitor the audit part of a high-profile Eileen O’Connor and other senior US officials met with effort to salvage Afghanistan political transition. Independent Election Commission (IEC) officials, a On Friday, UN’s political mission chief in Afghanistan Jan statement released by the US Embassy in Kabul said. Kubis declared that "any delays, any uncertainties would It added specialists from the international community were have a major negative impact" on the country's future. "It's working side by side with their Afghan colleagues to high time to complete the process ... and inaugurate the new ensure that the ongoing audit of votes cast in the June president." elections met laws of Afghanistan, the highest But by midmorning Saturday, none from Abdullah side international standards, and the expectations of Afghans. appeared at the vote audit site while those representing leading presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and local and foreign observers appeared. Daud Sultanzoy, an aide to Ghani, said the audit was a demand of Abdullah’s team and they did not show up because they knew they had lost and were looking for excuses. But senior aides to Abdullah, who spent the day negotiating behind closed doors with UN officials, insisted they had legitimate grievances about the audit. They said the audit was their absolute highest priority and the process was not credible enough to detect massive, sophisticated fraud that took place in the June 14 runoff election. Kubis said Saturday that the audit would be elayed by only one more day, saying that Abdullah's campaign had requested the extra time for "clarifications" on the audit process. He noted that both candidates had for- mally agreed to the audit in US Secretary of State John Ker- ry's presence and added that "after today's consultations ... we expect that the process of the audit will continue Vote auditing hits yet another snag smoothly and without any interruptions." By Pajhwok Report Aug 3, 2014 - 09:53

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Abdullah's campaign team meanwhile released a recording with a voice it alleged belongs to vice president Mohammad Karim Khalili, assuring his supporters that Ghani Ahmadzai would win the election because he had support from both foreigners and Karzai. Ghani Ahmadzai's team later denounced the recording as a fake.

Kerry stresses urgency in accelerating vote audit By Lalit K Jha Aug 3, 2014 - 10:06

WASHINGTON (Pajhwok): US Secretary of State John Kerry called both Afghan presidential candidates on Friday to express continued support for the electoral process and a framework agreement for a national unity government agreed during his last visit, an official said on Vote audit resumes amid Abdullah team's boycott Saturday. By Muhammad Hassan Khetab Aug 3, 2014 - 16:24 The State Department official added that Kerry stressed urgency in accelerating the audit and implementing the KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election Commission framework agreement following the end of the holy month (IEC) on Sunday resumed auditing votes cast in the June of Ramadan. runoff presidential election after a delay despite the absence The Secretary reminded both candidates that Afghanistan of presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah’s election and its international partners need clarity from the process team, an official said. The vote audit was launched on July, and confidence that the two candidates and their 17 after US Secretary of State John Kerry brokered a deal supporters will be able to work together regardless of who between the two candidates, but since had faced several wins, in order to implement reforms, the senior official suspensions owing to differences between the two said on condition of anonymity. candidates over a UN-proposed criteria for invalidation of The audit of results from the June 14 presidential runoff fraudulent votes. The vote audit had been scheduled to election resumed on Sunday after a holiday break despite restart on Saturday, but the election commission announced being boycotted by presidential candidate Abdullah a day -long halt to the process at UNAMA request in order Abdullah’s team. to allow for more time to Abdullah and the UN to conclude The preliminary results put former finance minister Ashraf their negotiations over the criteria. The process remained Ghani Ahmadzai well ahead of his rival Abdullah, but suspended until Sunday noon as members from Abdullah both sides alleged fraud. team did not appear at the IEC Independent Election Commission spokesman Noor headquarters. However, the team of rival candidate Mohammad Noor said the audit, which would remain Ashraf Ghani and national and international observers were open to the public, began in the afternoon although it had present. At a news conference in Kabul, IEC spokesperson been scheduled to start a day earlier. Noor Mohammad Noor said they had decided to resume the "The audit process is underway right now in two shifts to vote audit after a long wait in presence of Afghan and end the process as soon as possible," he said at a news foreign observers. He said the process would continue in conference. two shifts until being concluded, urging Abdullah to send He said local and international observers were watching his representatives to monitor the process. John Kerry the audit along with journalists, as well as representatives spoke separately by telephone Friday with Abdullah and from candidate Ahmadzai's team. There were no Ghani to offer support for the election process. The State representatives from Abdullah. Department said Kerry stressed the need for the A United Nations official said Saturday that requests from post-election audit to be completed in a timely manner. Abdullah's team had delayed the audit's resumption.

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Ghani, Abdullah attend Hashmat’s memorial service Poll crisis deepens as Khalili accused of fraud By Bashir Ahmad Naadem Aug 3, 2014 - 17:02 By Ahmad Quraishi Aug 3, 2014 - 18:58

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Both presidential KABUL (Pajhwok): A senior member of presidential candidates Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Dr. Abdullah candidate Abdullah Abdullah’s team on Sunday accused Abdullah on Sunday attended a memorial service for Second Vice-President Mohammad Karim Khalili of President Hamid Karzai’s slain cousin Hashmat Khalil orchestrating fraud in favour of his rival candidate Ashraf Karzai in southern Kandahar province. Ghani Ahmadzai. Hashmat Khalil Karzai, who obtained the most votes in Nasrullah Baryali Arsalai told reporters in Kabul that the April provincial council election, was a leading tribal Khalili had assured his supporters that the government, elder and a close aide to frontrunner in the presidential President Karzai, the election commissions and election Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. international friends were in favor of Ghani, who had been Hashmat was killed by a young man who hid explosives in promised victory in the election. his headgear on Tuesday outside Kandahar City. Arsalai also played an audio tape recording that said was Hashmat was welcoming guests congratulating him on the Khalili encouraging his supporters to commit electoral occasion of the religious festival at his fortified residence. fraud in favour of Ghani. The well-dressed bomber was allowed to enter the venue In the recording, Khalili allegedly told his supporters that among other guests. He blew up himself as Hashmat there was no doubt in the victory of their team because greeted him. A memorial service was held in Karz area of President Hamid Karzai and the international community Dand district for the late Hashmat. Both presidential had similar view in supporting him and they all were runners and a number of famous faces like Hanif Atmar, committed to using all options for his victory in the Anawarul Haq Ahadi, Wahidullah Sabawoon, Gul Agha presidential elections." However, Khalili rejected the claim Sherzai, Mahmoud Karzai, Shah Wali Karzai and dozens in a tweet, "This tape is a fake." His office denied the of tribal elders attended the service. allegation and said would come up with a detailed answer Ahmadzai prayed for the departed soul of Hashmat Karzai later in the day. But Arsalai said the tape was original and to rest in peace and called him as his brother. “I lost my contained strong evidence against Khalili. He went on to right hand,” he said. He said the assassination of Khalil call the election commission as a puppet organization. was a conspiracy against the Afghan nation, saying only Abdullah’s camp has urged the international community to unity could help the Afghans overcome all the challenges devise its strategy about the Afghan elections in accordance they faced, something he would seriously work for in the with the tape they released. Abdullah's team had previously future. He promised tribal elders that he would strive to accused ex-chief secretary of the Election Commission, create an atmosphere of peace and national unity in order Ziaul Haq Amarkhel of siding with Ahmadzai and involve- to realise the dream of a lasting peace. Speaking on the ment in fraud, prompting Amarkhel to resign. The new alle- occasion, Abdullah voiced his deep concern over the gation comes as the Independent Election Commission killing of Hashmat Karzai, saying he was one of his close resumed the vote audit process after a delay despite the friends. He said helping people was one of Hashmat’s best absence of Abdullah’s team. A day earlier, IEC chief characteristics. The victim’s brother, Hikmat Karzai, Ahmad Nuristani said they would not accept further delay thanked Abdullah and Ahmadzai for extending their in recounting of the votes and would go ahead with the condolences to the Karzai family. audit with or without the presence of Abdullah’s team.

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Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter

The delays resulted from failure of Abdullah and Ghani to The senior UN international elections expert, Jeff Fischer, agree on some technicalities, such as how to disqualify who directly advises the Board of the Independent Election votes. Commission (IEC) on international best practices as it Arsalai did not say where the speech was delivered, or makes decisions to validate, invalidate or recount ballots how the recording was obtained. Its authenticity could not cast in runoff polls has the discretion to apply special be independently verified. scrutiny to any boxes he deems warranted. Karzai's office said it had no immediate comment and 3. The UN proposal will not allow ballots from ‘ghost’ Khalili was due to make a public comment later on polling centres and stations to enter the electoral system. Sunday. Ghani's spokesman Tahir Zaheer said: "The tape 4. In cases that ballot boxes are lost, missing, damaged or is fake." destroyed an investigation of all relevant information will be conducted including on the basis but not limited to IEC Abdullah agrees to rejoin vote audit: UN documents. By Pajhwok Report Aug 3, 2014 - 20:50 If these investigations reveal no valid proof that a missing ballot box served as an active polling station it will be KABUL (Pajhwok): After tense negotiations, presidential excluded. candidate Abdullah Abdullah has agreed to rejoin the vote 5. International experts will be fully involved in the entire audit process that resumed on Sunday, United Nations audit process and in addition to offering advice will take officials said. part in the adjudication process. Abdullah's team "has informed the United Nations that it The reform and partnership team has informed the United will resume its participation in the audit process Nations that it will attend the Audit technical committee tomorrow", the UN said in a statement. meeting tonight and will resume its participation in the Earlier on Sunday, the audit restarted without Abdullah’s audit process tomorrow. observers, who refused to attend due to disagreements over how votes would be judged as fraudulent. The audit had been agreed on by Abdullah and his rival presidential hopeful Ashraf Ghani during intense talks with US secretary of state John Kerry in Kabul last month. But the two candidates have entered a new dispute over the criteria how to disqualify suspect votes. Meanwhile, the statement said the UN met with Dr. Abdullah and technical experts of the reform and partnership team at the request of him. It said they discussed the UN proposal for recounts and invalidations as part of the ongoing comprehensive audit of the presidential elections runoff. The parties also agreed over the following points: 1. The agreement on items 12 and 16 of the audit checklist included in the 12 July technical framework agreement is reconfirmed and will be fully implemented during the au- dit process. HIA seeks political role in future setup 2. The process of adjudication on the findings of the audit By Pajhwok Report Aug 4, 2014 - 00:14 will not begin before the end of the week, after technical preparations and data entry of information collected from KABUL (Pajhwok): The Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan (HIA), the audit is undertaken. led by Gulbadin Hekmatyar, has been negotiating “options Campaign agents and observers will be provided access to for future cooperation including the possibility of joining these preparatory steps. Further clarifications of invalida- the new government” with both presidential hopefuls tion criteria will be made during the course of preparatory Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, a media process, as needed, before the invalidation process report said on Sunday. commences. The relevant proposals, including of the The group that had refused to take part in the 2004 and Reform and Partnership Team, will be taken into consider- 2009 elections and boycotted the June runoff presidential ation. In case new issues that require attention will arise election took part in the April 5 elections, supporting during the course of conducting the audit, the UN will presidential candidate Qutbuddin Hilal in the first round. consider whether the relevant procedures and criteria require refinement and updating. http://www.pajhwok.com Page 10 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com

Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter

It boycotted the runoff between Abdullah and Ghani on Reserves of petroleum, phosphorus, stucco, construction the plea that the two candidates were against their stones, gravel and sands exist in Chahar Dara, Khanabad, programmes and principles. Aliabad and Qala-i-Zal districts of Kunduz. Stucco, stones, Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune quoted an HIA gravel and sand mines are excavated for construction leader as saying that “series of negotiations were held with purposes. both presidential candidates for “future cooperation and Eng. Mirza Mohammad Sultani, the provincial mines and possible joining the new government”. petroleum director, said the revenues from the mining “We have not yet reached at any agreement and have sector dropped to 900,000 afghanis this year compared to exchanged conditions and letters. More talks will be held 2.8 million afs in 2013. in Kabul this month,” the HIA leader said while requesting He said most of the revenues were achieved from stucco, not to be identified. gravel and stands used in construction activities in summer. About their conditions, he said “they want all foreign But the election crisis has negatively impacted development troops should leave, the new leader should not sign the activities in the province, he said. controversial security pact with the US and Islamic system He cited the withdrawal of foreign troops from Kunduz should be enforced in Afghanistan.” another problem contributing to the decline in income: Dr Ghairat Baheer, chief of the HIA’s powerful political “Foreign troops would sign contracts with us for the affairs, led the party’s teams in talks with Ghani and procurement of construction materials, which was a major Abdullah, the source said, adding the party has “some source of income.” understanding with Ashraf Ghani, who had also sought The ongoing election crisis has raised serious concerns HIA’s active role in the new setup.” among the masses, said Abdul Qadir Hussainkhel, the The HIA’s quest for political role will further isolate the provincial council director. Taliban who have rejected the elections and have not yet He said: “The prolonged electoral process is the reason indicated to enter into intra-Afghan dialogue. The Taliban behind the growing insurgency, unemployment and decline have held series of talks with US, which resulted into the in business activities. The election crisis needs to be exchange of five Guantanamo inmates with lone American resolved soon.” soldier. Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industries head HIA’s political role could also pave the way for the much Massoud Wahdat said imports of goods from Kunduz to anticipated reconciliation process at a time when NATO foreign countries had also fallen by 50 percent as a result of troops are finalising exit strategy. the electoral strife. He said goods worth $ 2.7 million were exported since March this year, showing a record low compared to the same period in 2013. IEC plans to accelerate vote audit process By Muhammad Hassan Khetab Aug 4, 2014 - 18:25 KABUL (Pajhwok): So far more than 2,000 ballot boxes have been assessed and the number of workers auditing votes from the June election would be increased to 300 in order to accelerate the process, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said on Monday. The vote audit was launched on July 17 after US Secretary of State John Kerry brokered a deal between the two candidates, but since the process had faced several suspensions owing to differences between the candidates over the UN-proposed criteria for invalidation of fraudulent Election crisis: Kunduz mining revenue dips votes. By Hidayatullah Hamdard Aug 4, 2014 - 15:41 Earlier, the IEC would review 400 ballot boxes a day and it had to suspend the audit process due to KUNDUZ CITY (Pajhwok): Income generated from disagreements between the two runners. Since July 17, the mines has declined in northern Kunduz province following IEC has so far recounted votes cast in more than 2,000 the withdrawal of foreign troops and due to the lingering boxes. electoral crisis, an official said on Monday.

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Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter

“The auditing process is normally carried out by 200 Five hours later, UN officials announced that Abdullah had working groups in two shifts,” IEC spokesman Noor agreed to rejoin the audit Monday after the United Nations Mohammad Noor told journalists in Kabul. “clarified” certain details and agreed to make any needed In the coming days, he said, the number of working teams changes in the method of invalidating ballots, a key demand would be increased to 300 in order to accelerate the of Abdullah. process. IEC spokesman Noor Muhammad Noor told journalists on Of the about 23,000 ballot boxes, more than 21,900 boxes Monday the electoral body was legally bound to ensure that from 32 provinces containing 92.4 percent of all the votes the audit was swift and transparent in line with the agreed cast in the runoff election had reached the IEC main mechanism. office. Noor added that the UN had proposed the criteria for The vote audit had been scheduled to resume on Sunday, invalidation of suspected votes based on recommendations but hit another snag after presidential candidate Abdullah of the candidates and their technical teams before Abdullah’s representatives refused to attend the recount presenting it to the IEC, which had approved the method due to disagreements over how votes would be judged without any change. fraudulent. He said the audit process was under way right now in However, later UN officials said Abdullah had agreed to accordance with the latest checklist and the UN-proposed rejoin the audit after intense negotiations to put the criteria. electoral process on track. Meanwhile, the United Nations Assistance Missions for Afghanistan UNAMA in a statement said an agreement had been reached with Abdullah’s team on the checklist. The statement said the UN held intense negotiations with Abdullah and his technical experts as requested by him. It said they discussed the UN proposal for the recount and invalidation of votes as part of the ongoing comprehensive audit. The parties agreed on following points: 1. The agreement on items 12 and 16 of the audit checklist included in the 12 July technical framework agreement is reconfirmed and will be fully implemented during the audit process. 2. The process of adjudication on the findings of the audit will not begin before the end of the week, after technical Latest checklist is final, declares IEC preparations and data entry of information collected from By Muhammad Hassan Khitab Aug 4, 2014 - 18:56 the audit is undertaken. Campaign agents and observers will be provided access to KABUL (Pajhwok): The Independent Election these preparatory steps. Further clarifications of Commission (IEC) on Monday declared as final the latest invalidation criteria will be made during the course of UN-proposed criteria for invalidation of suspected votes, preparatory process, as needed, before the invalidation saying extra attention would be paid to the remaining two process commences controversial points in order to gain confidence of both the The UNAMA has stated that in cases that ballot boxes were candidates. lost, missing, damaged or destroyed an investigation of all The huge audit remained suspended as of Sunday morning relevant information would be conducted including on the and Abdullah’s team remained locked in talks with UN basis but not limited to IEC documents. If these officials over the recount. investigations reveal no valid proof that a missing ballot Abdullah’s team had threatened to boycott unless the box served as an active polling station it will be excluded. process was changed to probe more deeply into the allegations of fraud and was placed more firmly under Herat PC runner, sons shot dead international control. By Storai Karimi & Idrees Noori Aug 4, 2014 - 21:19 However, the IEC announced the audit would resume KABUL/MAIDAN SHAHR (Pajhwok): A provincial coun- without Abdullah’s participation. The election spokesman cil (PC) candidate was gunned down along with his two said he hoped the campaign would decide to rejoin the sons by unknown assailants in western Herat province late audit, adding that “the door . . . is open to them.” on Monday, police said.

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Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter

Elsewhere, insurgents killed a 70-year-old mother of a He stressed: “There is now no other option but to respect local policeman in central Maidan Wardak province. The the Afghan people’s resolve to engage in the electoral candidate, Abdul Shakoor Rabat, was travelling in a car process by making use of this robust mechanism that the along with his two sons in the Guzara district on Monday two candidates asked for and we have constructed.” evening, when two gunmen on a bike opened fire at them The UN Development Programme’s Enhancing Legal and in the Nawgan area, killing Rabat and his two sons on the Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (UNDP ELECT II) spot, police spokesman Col. Abdul Rauf Ahmadi told project spent the last four years promoting the capacity of Pajhwok Afghan News. Afghan electoral institutions. He said a brother of the candidate was injured in the attack In response to the 12 July agreement between the and had been taken to hospital for treatment. candidates, the rigorous audit is being conducted under There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the multi-tiered international observation. This is to ensure the gun attack, but police said they were investigating. full implementation of the audit checklist contained in the Guzara, which lies 10 kilometres south of Herat City, the agreement, including the supplementary UN provincial capital, was the scene of clashes between recommendations. insurgents and Afghan and foreign forces in the recent More than 200 full-time international observers have been past. mobilised and arrived in Kabul to provide complete Elsewhere, insurgents shot dead a 70-year-old mother an international scrutiny of the audit. Similarly, UNDP Afghan Local Police (ALP) member in central Maidan ELECT II advisors have been supplemented by dozens of Wardak province, officials said on Monday. UN elections experts released from other UN missions The incident took place last night in the Sese area of around the world. Syedabad district, the governor’s spokesman, Attaullah Finally, Jeff Fischer, a senior international expert with Khogyani, told Pajhwok Afghan News. decades of experience working on elections for the UN and The rebels broke into the house of the ALP personnel, other organisations, has arrived to closely advise the Board Mirza Khan, and shot dead his elderly mother and of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on seriously injured his 14-year-old brother. One of the international best practice. attackers was killed and two others wounded when Khan Accompanied by IEC officials, campaign agents and the opened fire at them, the official said. Afghan security forces, some 95 per cent of the boxes have now been moved to Kabul without incident. The retrieval UN stresses respect for election audit process will be fully completed in the next few days. Also By Pajhwok Report Aug 5, 2014 - 10:51 in line with the request made by the two candidates, the ballot boxes are now secured by ISAF. KABUL (Pajhwok): As the presidential ballot audit These extraordinary international mobilization and continues, the UN has urged the full commitment of the transport efforts provide the Afghan people with a parties to the unprecedented endeavour that should be mechanism to offer unprecedented reassurance that the completed without any further delays and interruptions. popular will which they bravely expressed on 5 April and Secretary-General’s Special Representative for 14 June will be known and respected. Afghanistan Ján Kubiš noted the world body was jointly In past polls, operational constraints forced election requested by the two candidates and the authorities to officials to rely on sampling formulas or statistical trends to carry out its current role of coordinating international extrapolate the extent of fraud. For the first time, the supervision of the audit. current 100 per cent audit allows for every single ballot box “At a time of political and electoral impasse and deep from the run-off to be opened and rigorously inspected in uncertainty, the UN agreed to take on the responsibility in Kabul before the Afghan and international public. order to help the country,” Kubiš said in a statement from “The UN proposal on criteria for recounts and invalidations UNAMA. is built upon this unique opportunity,” said Fischer. “It meets international best practice, is consistent with the “The candidates have invited the United Nations and the Afghan constitution and laws, and will produce a robust, international community to supervise the elections, based credible and thorough audit that detects and eliminates on international best practice. We have responded to this fraudulent ballots while protecting valid votes." invitation by mobilising significant resources in support of Under the UN proposal now adopted by the IEC, decisions the audit process being carried out by the electoral to validate or invalidate ballots will be based upon the management bodies with international supervision,” he physical and visual evidence recorded from the audit of said. each of the 23,000 boxes rather than numerical triggers.differences between first and second round tallies).

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